220V Plug-in Chainsaw - Is there such a thing?

[chainbrake]

I've developed asthsma issues. It seems I can't run my saws much anymore. Too much smoke, mold and dust...

• I can put a respirator on for felling and cutting to long lengths - but the work is too hard for more than that.
• I'm going to buy the best battery saw I can find for limbing. We have Stihl, Makita and Husky in my community. It will be one of those brands.
• I can haul logs to a landing at my woodshed.

What I want: A 220/240V plug-in electric chainsaw that I can use at my landing.

• I would like to be able to process 10-20 cords of hardwood a year this way.
• I have up to 50A 220V available at my landing.
• I have not been able to find a 220V electric saw online that looks strong/fast enough. The more powerful ones look to be about 1800W = 2.4 HP. and a chain speed of about half as fast as my gas saw.

I'm hopeful someone at this site knows of a 220V plug-in. Failing that, I will have to go with 110V.
I have a lot of projects on the go so I want the solution to be simple.
I can't see myself rigging up a cross-cut circular saw that I might salvage from an old lumber mill - for at least 3 years: I have too many other projects.

 

[dboyd351]

Can't see that Black and decker being as good as some of the battery powered saws I've seen posted on here (I think it was the Kobalt one that looked pretty good on a post here). A 35 mm bar is only 14". Don't know how 1800 W compared to the HP of a gas saw or if the 9 M/s chain speed is respectable. My linited experience with electric saws showed 110V ones to be more capable than battery ones, but I've never tried a good battery powered saw. The chainspeed of the ones I've tried appeared to substantially slower than a gas saw, making the bar much less smooth in the cut. But again, I've never tried a really good battery powered saw.

How about hydraulic saws - is that an option?

 

[Philbert]

I like my corded electric saws. I have had really good experience with several 15 amp, 120 V saws, made by Makita, Jonsered, Oregon, etc. However, I am somewhat skeptical of that Black and Decker saw, even though it is 220 V.

If you really want something heavy duty, visit a Stihl dealer, and look at their top of the line, corded, electric chainsaws, like the MSE250.

Make sure that you use a good extension cord (12 gauge) and keep it as short as possible (50 feet or less) for best performance.

FWIW, there have been some 3-phase chainsaws mentioned in these threads, but they get awkward and unwieldy fast.

Philbert

 

[chainbrake]

How about hydraulic saws - is that an option?

Thanks for getting back to me. I just modified my original post, as my searches are now turning up more 22V electrics. Most seem to be about 1800W (2.4 HP) with a 35cm(14") bar. I could run a hydraulic line off of my splitter, but I don't know what kind of speed I would get out of it. I hadn't thought of hydraulic. I'll look into it.

 

[chainbrake]

I like my corded electric saws. I have had really good experience with several 15 amp, 120 V saws, made by Makita, Jonsered, Oregon, etc. However, I am somewhat skeptical of that Black and Decker saw, even though it is 220 V.

If you really want something heavy duty, visit a Stihl dealer, and look at their top of the line, corded, electric chainsaws, like the MSE250.

Make sure that you use a good extension cord (12 gauge) and keep it as short as possible (50 feet or less) for best performance.

FWIW, there have been some 3-phase chainsaws mentioned in these threads, but they get awkward and unwieldy fast.

Philbert

Thanks, I'll check out that Stihl. I was looking at the Makitas, and they looked a bit gutless to me - like my gas-powered Makita weed-whacker.

 

[chainbrake]

I like my corded electric saws. I have had really good experience with several 15 amp, 120 V saws, made by Makita, Jonsered, Oregon, etc. However, I am somewhat skeptical of that Black and Decker saw, even though it is 220 V.

If you really want something heavy duty, visit a Stihl dealer, and look at their top of the line, corded, electric chainsaws, like the MSE250.

Make sure that you use a good extension cord (12 gauge) and keep it as short as possible (50 feet or less) for best performance.

FWIW, there have been some 3-phase chainsaws mentioned in these threads, but they get awkward and unwieldy fast.

Philbert

My woodshed is right next to my small batch cement plant. I'll have plenty of power. I never like underpowering any tool. I generally make all of my own (specific purpose) extension cords. I will have a hanging, overhead outlet placed behind and in the middle of where the saw will be used.

 

[Gord404]

Stihl used to make an E14 and an E20 - E20 was a surprisingly powerful saw - owned both and great quality

 

[chainbrake]

Stihl used to make an E14 and an E20 - E20 was a surprisingly powerful saw - owned both and great quality

I'll check them out.

 

[Philbert]

was looking at the Makitas, and they looked a bit gutless to me

Makita makes a range of different size. The first one I bought was a used, Home Depot rental saw. I thought, “If it holds up to Home Depot rental use, it must be a pretty tough saw“. It was.

That was a model UC4000, which has been upgraded a few times now.

Philbert

 

[r black]

I've developed asthsma issues. It seems I can't run my saws much anymore. Too much smoke, mold and dust...

• I can put a respirator on for felling and cutting to long lengths - but the work is too hard for more than that.
• I'm going to buy the best battery saw I can find for limbing. We have Stihl, Makita and Husky in my community. It will be one of those brands.
• I can haul logs to a landing at my woodshed.

What I want: A 220/240V plug-in electric chainsaw that I can use at my landing.

• I would like to be able to process 10-20 cords of hardwood a year this way.
• I have up to 50A 220V available at my landing.
• I have not been able to find a 220V electric saw online that looks strong/fast enough. The more powerful ones look to be about 1800W = 2.4 HP. and a chain speed of about half as fast as my gas saw.

I'm hopeful someone at this site knows of a 220V plug-in. Failing that, I will have to go with 110V.
I have a lot of projects on the go so I want the solution to be simple.
I can't see myself rigging up a cross-cut circular saw that I might salvage from an old lumber mill - for at least 3 years: I have too many other projects.

check on the Telsa website ....

 

[Bob Hedgecutter]

Hydraulic or air operated would be my go to for a non gas powered landing saw.
I believe the military had some made by STANLEY that may be available surplus?
They are not cheap to buy- but you dont need gas or bar oil (thy usually borrow some hydraulic fluid to lube the chain), you will however need some form of hydraulic power pack and I do not know if your splitter system will handle the demands.
Could possibly run off an electric hydraulic pack?

Quick clarification though- as over here 240V is standard household domestic supply and 3 phase is 400V for us- is 220V 3 phase for you guys?

 

[dboyd351]

is 220V 3 phase for you guys?

Yes

 

[chainbrake]

Hydraulic or air operated would be my go to for a non gas powered landing saw.
I believe the military had some made by STANLEY that may be available surplus?
They are not cheap to buy- but you dont need gas or bar oil (thy usually borrow some hydraulic fluid to lube the chain), you will however need some form of hydraulic power pack and I do not know if your splitter system will handle the demands.
Could possibly run off an electric hydraulic pack?

Quick clarification though- as over here 240V is standard household domestic supply and 3 phase is 400V for us- is 220V 3 phase for you guys?

Thanks Bob.

I checked my splitter motor specs, and it has plenty of flow/power to run a hydraulic saw. Those STANLEYs look tempting. I saw a couple of videos online this afternoon.

I haven't looked into running with air. The hydraulic seems like I may be able to run it with less noise - a bonus. My air tools seem to be hard on my hearing (another thing that fails more as I age). That said, I run a lot of air tools in my shop and on construction sites. It would be extremely easy to run an air hose from my compressor... and I'd have the air hose for blowing dust and chips. I always have my hearing protection handy anyway.

I run with 240V household/workshop (not 3 phase), That said, there is so much variability in the current that 240V varies between 220 and 240. From what I have been told, the power lines that run past my woodworking shop are 13,800V - so there is plenty of power should I want it. My shop is just a 2-3 man shop, so I didn't go for the expensive high-production equipment. In Nova Scotia (and the rest of Canada), 3-phase comes to light industrial users at a nominal 600V (often running 575V equipment). Industrial users often have to rewire or change-out motors on equipment purchased from the US.

 

[chainbrake]

Thanks Bob.

I checked my splitter motor specs, and it has plenty of flow/power to run a hydraulic saw. Those STANLEYs look tempting. I saw a couple of videos online this afternoon.

I haven't looked into running with air. The hydraulic seems like I may be able to run it with less noise - a bonus. My air tools seem to be hard on my hearing (another thing that fails more as I age). That said, I run a lot of air tools in my shop and on construction sites. It would be extremely easy to run an air hose from my compressor... and I'd have the air hose for blowing dust and chips. I always have my hearing protection handy anyway.

I run with 240V household/workshop (not 3 phase), That said, there is so much variability in the current that 240V varies between 220 and 240. From what I have been told, the power lines that run past my woodworking shop are 13,800V - so there is plenty of power should I want it. My shop is just a 2-3 man shop, so I didn't go for the expensive high-production equipment. In Nova Scotia (and the rest of Canada), 3-phase comes to light industrial users at a nominal 600V (often running 575V equipment). Industrial users often have to rewire or change-out motors on equipment purchased from the US.

Thanks Bob.

I just checked the air saws. 1/3 as much HP as the hydraulic and they weigh 2-3 times as much (not counting hoses and cords). Also, they require huge CFPM. More than my compressor can handle.

 

[Bob Hedgecutter]

Thanks Bob.

I checked my splitter motor specs, and it has plenty of flow/power to run a hydraulic saw. Those STANLEYs look tempting. I saw a couple of videos online this afternoon.

I haven't looked into running with air. The hydraulic seems like I may be able to run it with less noise - a bonus. My air tools seem to be hard on my hearing (another thing that fails more as I age). That said, I run a lot of air tools in my shop and on construction sites. It would be extremely easy to run an air hose from my compressor... and I'd have the air hose for blowing dust and chips. I always have my hearing protection handy anyway.

I run with 240V household/workshop (not 3 phase), That said, there is so much variability in the current that 240V varies between 220 and 240. From what I have been told, the power lines that run past my woodworking shop are 13,800V - so there is plenty of power should I want it. My shop is just a 2-3 man shop, so I didn't go for the expensive high-production equipment. In Nova Scotia (and the rest of Canada), 3-phase comes to light industrial users at a nominal 600V (often running 575V equipment). Industrial users often have to rewire or change-out motors on equipment purchased from the US.

So to clear matters up in my head- you are looking for a 220-240V single phase saw?
Every corded electric saw for sale over here hits that rating- no 110V gear ever makes it here unless someone brings it in personally.

 

[chainbrake]

So to clear matters up in my head- you are looking for a 220-240V single phase saw?
Every corded electric saw for sale over here hits that rating- no 110V gear ever makes it here unless someone brings it in personally.

Actually, my table saw is 3 phase.

I have some other equipment (like my Wacker hammer-drill, that runs on a 110 circuit but with a built-in inverter to increase its steadiness of power. It can be plugged into 110 or 240. http://www.builders-tools.com/9323-wacker-eh-9bl-electric-rotary-demolition-hammer-breaker-by/

Most of the rest of my shop is fed into 20A 110V circuits. So yes, I have 3-phase available but I run on single phase for most things - just like a house. If i wanted to go with a larger shop, I would be pulling in the 600V line.

 

[Stihl a grasshopper]

they make a chainsaw conversion kit for angle grinders. I don’t know if it would fit on a 7” grinder, but those are usually 4-5 hp.

 

[Philbert]

My understanding is that hydraulic saws are heavy, and their hoses are much stiffer / less flexible, than an extension cord. A lot more expensive too!

Great for use under water, or maybe from a utility bucket, but I think you are getting things much more complicated than they need to be. Doesn’t your splitter run on a gas motor that you are trying to avoid in the first place?

Philbert

 

[Bob Hedgecutter]

My understanding is that hydraulic saws are heavy, and their hoses are much stiffer / less flexible, than an extension cord. A lot more expensive too!

Great for use under water, or maybe from a utility bucket, but I think you are getting things much more complicated than they need to be. Doesn’t your splitter run on a gas motor that you are trying to avoid in the first place?

Philbert

Yeah, but it is 4 stroke not 2 stroke and at the other end of the hoses, not directly below your noses.

Yep, hydraulic is heavy, stiff hosed and expensive- but will out punch any corded or battery saw you can find.
Depending on the diameter of the OP's firewood, one might be much more practical than the other for 10 cords of hardwood.
Best of the lot would be a dedicated table with log lifter and a mounted hydraulic saw operated by foot pedal.

 

[BobL]

An 1800W electric CS will have the cutting power of about a 3kW gas powered saw.
If a gas saw says its 4HP at 12,500 RPM, unless all you cut is 3" branches that's won't be the RPMS they cut at.
Typically one that gas saw bar is buried in wood and loaded up it will be running at ~8500RPM which means its not at its max HP
Electric saws have slower revs but they have way more more torque at lower revs than gas saws so you can drop the rakers a bit and get similar cut speeds.
BTW that's also why CS pants don't work so well with electric saws.